Pelekunu Preserve Moloka‘I, Hawai‘I
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Pelekunu Preserve Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i Long-Range Management Plan Fiscal Years 2016–2021 Submitted to the Department of Land & Natural Resources Natural Area Partnership Program Submitted by The Nature Conservancy Molokai Program April 2015 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... 1 DELIVERABLES SUMMARY .............................................................................................................. 2 RESOURCES SUMMARY ................................................................................................................... 4 General Setting ........................................................................................................................... 4 Flora and Fauna .......................................................................................................................... 5 MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................................................... 7 Management Considerations ...................................................................................................... 7 Preserve Areas ............................................................................................................................ 7 Program 1: Non-native Species Control ................................................................................. 8 A. Ungulate Control ......................................................................................................... 8 B. Weed Control ............................................................................................................ 10 Program 2: Monitoring and Research .................................................................................. 12 Program 3: Community Outreach ........................................................................................ 15 Program 4: Fire, Emergency and Safety ............................................................................... 17 Areas Needing Technical Assistance ............................................................................................. 18 Management Allocation ............................................................................................................... 18 Budget Summary .......................................................................................................................... 18 TABLES, FIGURES AND APPENDICES Tables 1. Priority Pest Plants of Pelekunu Preserve ................................................................................ 9 Figures 1. Pelekunu Preserve Map .......................................................................................................... 19 2. East Moloka‘i Watershed Partnership Map. .......................................................................... 20 3. Native Natural Communities Map .......................................................................................... 21 Appendices 1. Native Natural Communities of Pelekunu Preserve ............................................................... 22 2. Conspicuous Aquatic Animals (Excluding Insects) Observed in Pelekunu Stream and its Tributaries ................................................................................................................... 23 3. Rare Native Plants of Pelekunu Preserve ............................................................................... 24 4. Rare Native Birds Reported from Pelekunu Preserve ............................................................ 26 5. Rare Native Invertebrates of Pelekunu Preserve ................................................................... 27 6. Documents Related to Pelekunu Preserve ............................................................................. 28 7. Research Conducted at Moloka‘i Preserves ........................................................................... 32 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i is an affiliate of The Nature Conservancy, an international private, non-profit organization based in Arlington, Virginia. The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. Since 1980, the Conservancy has protected more than 200,000 acres of natural lands in Hawai‘i and works with other public and private landowners to protect the islands’ key watersheds. The Conservancy manages a statewide network of 11 preserves totaling 40,000 acres and works in 12 coastal communities to protect the coral reefs and near-shore waters of the main Hawaiian Islands. The State’s Natural Area Partnership Program (NAPP) is an innovative program that aids private landowners in the management of their native ecosystems. NAPP provides matching funds ($2 state to $1 private) for the management of qualified private lands that have been permanently dedicated to conservation. On Moloka‘i, the Conservancy manages three NAPP Preserves: Mo‘omomi (921 acres), Kamakou (2774 acres), and Pelekunu (5,759 acres), and is the main coordinator/manager of the East Moloka‘i Watershed Partnership (EMoWP) which is directly responsible for management programs in the South Slope at Kamalō (3,566 acres), Kapualei (1,680 acres), and Kawela (5,500 acres). The EMoWP is also expanding further east to the “East Slope” and in FY15 began focusing on the 1,300 acre Pakui unit. Management of Pelekunu Preserve has been funded by the NAPP since 1992. This long-range management plan updates the plan covering fiscal years (FY) 2010–2015 and was prepared in compliance with the Natural Area Partnership agreement between the State and The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i. This plan documents management programs to be undertaken in the next 6 years (FY2016 – FY2021) at Pelekunu Preserve. The first section of this plan is a brief overview of the native natural resources that are protected at Pelekunu Preserve. In the second section are management considerations that have shaped our programs. Finally, each management program is discussed in turn. Program goals are followed by an explanation of the management method we have chosen. Annual objectives and costs for each program for FY2016–FY2021 are also listed. In FY 2014, the NAPP program introduced the use of a data-driven spreadsheet to propose and report on deliverables. The spreadsheet is still being refined; a word version of the spreadsheet follows. 1 DELIVERABLES SUMMARY The deliverables listed below are derived directly from the NAPP Deliverables spreadsheet (also attached), for easy reference. UNGULATE CONTROL Goal Proposed Quantity of Interval of Action Subunit Action Action Pelekunu Main # Aerial Hunts 2 Annually Valley WEED CONTROL Species Proposed Methods Goal Acres Interval Unit Targets Action Goal Wailau Hedgar Ground Prevent introduction of Conduct ground 10 Annually Upper Sweep/Control toilet brush ginger to sweeps to Pelekunu control and map outliers Wailau Hedgar Aerial Survey Prevent introduction of Assist 10 Annually Upper Only toilet brush ginger to DoFAW/MoMISC Pelekunu with North Shore aerial surveys Puu Alii Rubarg Ground Prevent introduction Assist NAR with 50 Annually Sweep/Control of blackberry to ground sweeps Pelekunu Preserve to eliminate blackberry Pelekunu Spacam Ground Eliminate African tulips Eliminate All By FY2019 Sweep/Control where feasible Pelekunu Populations Spacam North Unkspp Aerial Survey Prevent introduction Assist All Annual if Shore Only of Priority Invasive DoFAW/MoMISC feasible from North Shore with North Areas Shore aerial surveys TRANSECT MONITORING Transect/Station GIS Transect Monitoring Action Interval Name Length (m) type PEL01 672.6554 Ungulate Check Annually PEL02 585.1824 Ungulate Check Annually PEL03 523.5296 Ungulate Check Annually PEL04 641.8471 Ungulate Check Annually PEL06 544.9153 Ungulate Check Annually 2 PEL07 559.0068 Ungulate Check Annually PEL08 565.6601 Ungulate Check Annually PEL09 607.311 Ungulate Check Annually PEL10 664.0661 Ungulate Check Annually PEL11 565.0502 Ungulate Check Annually PEL12 388.7804 Ungulate Check Annually STREAM MONITORING Species Species Proposed Proposed Interval Name Type Action # Checks Nergra Other Check 1 Hihiwai (Neritina granosa); years 1, 3 & 5 SicSti Other Check 1 Oopu nopili (Sicyopterus stimpsoni); years 1, 3 & 5 Awasta Other Check 1 Oopu nakea (Awaous stamineus); years 1, 3 & 5 Lencon Other Check 1 Oopu alamoo (Lentipes concolor); years 1, 3 & 5 Elesan Other Check 1 Oopu okuhekuhe (Eleotris sandwicensis); years 1, 3 & 5 COMMUNITY OUTREACH MEETINGS, HIKES, EVENTS and PUBLICATIONS Event Type* Proposed Action Proposed Number Proposed Interval Events/Publications Num Ind. Reached Kamakou Hike Hike 1 6 Annually Partner’s Meeting Meeting 1 1 Annually MoMISC Meeting Meeting 1 1 Annually Earth Day Event Fair 1 800 Annually (April) Nature’s Newsflash Publication 1 3100+ Annually INFRASTRUCTURE Structure Type Action Interval Pelekunu Trail Trail Maintain Semi-Annually Helicopter LZs LZ Maintain Semi-Annually Camps/Cabins Facilities Maintain Years 2, 4, 6 * Pelekunu NAP helps to pay a portion of the community outreach activities listed here. 3 RESOURCES SUMMARY General Setting Pelekunu Preserve (Figure 1) was established in 1986 when the Conservancy purchased 5,759 acres in the northeast sector of Moloka‘i (most from Moloka‘i Ranch, Ltd.). The preserve was established to protect the perennial stream system, one of the best remaining in Hawai‘i. Pelekunu Preserve is bordered on all sides by natural